Letter

Climate science: A rigorous review

Mr. Ross Wilkinson (Ledger-Transcript, Sept. 12) would have us believe the opinions of Peter Wells, “a physicist who must, therefore have a reasonable understanding of the scientific principles of heat transfer,” over those of the vast majority of actual climate scientists who believe that the Earth is warming and that human activities are partially responsible.

Mr. Wilkinson’s statement that “they make no effort to screen out those, who like themselves, lack the scientific credentials to determine if the planet is heating or cooling” reveals his profound ignorance of the process of scientific publication.

Articles by unqualified authors would never be published. Scientific Journal papers are written by highly educated and experienced scientists and refereed by other scientists who are qualified in the article’s field before they are published. This is done with great care because the reputations of the authors, referees, editors, and the journals themselves are at stake.

Mr. Wilkinson’s statement that the relevant scientific disciplines are heat transfer, thermodynamics and astronomy vastly oversimplifies the problem. I am qualified to speak on this subject: I hold a PhD in physics from the University of California (San Diego) and have 35 years research experience in the fields of solar-terrestrial physics and astronomy.